The Pleasure of Low-Country Fare

I've had the luxury of a couple of days off, coupled with the delightful news from the Roosevelt that I start orientation in the morning. My objective is to work out a schedule with the hotel and Commander's Palace so I can amass some coinage and stay busy during the slow season (which is upon us) by working both jobs.

Life has not been all toil and drudgery, despite the tone of my last few feeble posts. I'm fortunate to have a wonderful friend and host helping me through this transition time. I've mentioned in the past the extraordinary talents that Brandon possesses, and I decided to share one of his recent triumphs to ease back into the Sybarite mindset.

Readers who want to know more about the delicious pot roast dinner he served last week can check out his blog, Where the Sweet Olive Grows. I was just as taken with the low-country fare he prepared for us the night before: shrimp and grits.

If you've never visited the Southeastern United States and sampled the amazing dishes of the region, you really don't know what you are missing. Cooks for generations have used indigineous ingredients to create simple, yet unforgettable dishes. Low-country cooking refers to the area primarily around southeastern South Carolina and northeastern Georgia (the Charleston/Savannah area).

Having grown up in North Carolina, I have always been a fan of grits. Much to the horror and chagrin of friends I made when I moved to Boston, grits are best served piping hot with some butter and salt, and in my opinion they triumph over oatmeal any day of the week. If you have the good fortune to have salty country ham served with breakfast, by all means, slather your grits (and your biscuits) with red-eye gravy (made with drippings from the ham along with coffee). As I began traveling the country I stumbled upon shrimp and grits at a restaurant in Charleston, and marveled at the combination of seafood, spices and cheesy grits. I've had other delightful versions of the dish, especially at the now defunct Agnes and Muriel's in Atlanta.

Brandon's version included Lousiana shrimp, red pepper, tomato, garlic,green onion, lemon juice and some Worchestshire sauce which was sauteed and ladeled over cheese grits. While Brandon claimed the grits were too salty, I found the dish a wonderful adventure for the palate. The picture on the blog does not do the dish justice. I was transported back to memories of some of my favorite low-country meals, and was delighted to add another luxurious culinary delight to the list.